Burning Hearts

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Tana

I couldn’t stop the tears from flowing. I didn’t understand what happened to Casen either. He held me and ran his hand from my hair to my waist along my back over and over. I had tried to mind link him. The look of revulsion on his face keeps playing on repeat in my mind.

It had started to snow, and I began to shiver. Casen’s heat wasn’t enough at the moment. “Can we go inside?” I asked meekly. “Yeah.” He wrapped his arm around me, and we walked towards the house. I pulled my flame around me to help keep warm. I pushed my flame to encircle Casen too.

We were spotted and greeted by warriors from Sereia and Faylinn. I was glad to set foot inside. I marched up the stairs to our room. I kicked off my heels and began reaching for my zipper to try and remove my dress. I just want to get comfortable and go and ransack the kitchen for something to eat.

Casen batted my fingers away and he tugged on my zipper, pulling it down. He placed a kiss between my shoulders as he pushed my dress off my arms and down to my hips. A moan escaped me.

Casen let go of my body and let out an ungodly scream. I turned and he was gripping the sides of his head. “Casen, what’s wrong? Casen?” I was trying to touch him, but he kept moving and screaming.

He stopped screaming and grabbing at his head. He stood tall. He got an odd smile on his face. “Casen?” I whispered low. He assessed me. I pulled my dress back up to cover myself by holding it over my chest. For every step he took, I countered my steps.

“You, you are the phoenix dragon?” A voice came out of Casen that was his, but not his at the same time. “Who are you?” I asked cautiously. “I’m Elle.” “What are you? What do you want?” She smirked an evil smirk, but it was Casen’s face that gave me the smirk and I couldn’t stop the shudder that ran through me.

“I am the queen of dark witches. I am going to find you and I will be turning you over to Queen Syndra.” I gasped. “You’ve heard of her.” She said with dark glee. “Once she has your ashes too, she will be unstoppable. She will be immortal.” “What do you mean my ashes too?”

She laughed and I wanted to cringe, but I held my reaction from her. “Didn’t you know? She has dear old daddy’s ashes locked away. Gydrus never really stood a chance against Syndra. She will rule everything and every species.”

My stomach dropped. My father is alive, sort of? I need to free him. I need to save him. I need to get this b*tch out of Casen. I don’t know how though. “Embrace your true self.” “What?” I didn’t recognize the voice in my mind. I thought I had embraced my true self when I changed into my dragon.

“You are forgetting my side.” “Mum?” I felt myself warm as if I was being hugged. Casen just watched me. “I don’t know what to do.” “Yes, you do. Connect.” “Let my Casen go.” I commanded. Casen laughed in Elle’s tone. “He’s mine now. Mine to control. Mine to do as I please with. He’ll lead me to you.”

I didn’t know what to do. I closed my eyes, and I felt his dragon’s frustration as he was trying to fight against her control. “Flame.” I heard strangled through mind link. It was gruff and in a growling tone. Had his dragon just mind linked me? I didn’t want to debate it. I pulled my flame around me.

Elle laughed at me. “You will not harm him.” I second guessed myself. I don’t want to hurt Casen. “I’m king.” I heard in the same gruff and growl. I placed my hand in front of me, letting my dress fall to my waist. I caught a brief look of desire in Casen’s eyes, I thought, but wasn’t sure. I pushed my flame away from my body to surround Casen.

He could feel it. His clothes began to singe and catch fire. Elle just laughed at me. “I will still control him. He will let me back in no matter what.” I hollered out in frustration. His clothes were burning off. The door burst open and Lyrai was standing there with Rhistal. Soon the others were crowding inside the room.

“What are you doing? You can’t kill Casen.” Orien cried out. “He’s being controlled by a dark witch named Elle.” Casen turned to grin maliciously at all of them. “How sweet you care for this dragon prince. Makes me sick.”

Robyn moved to my side. She placed her hand on my temple. I felt her searching for what had happened. “Lyrai, hold onto Tana.” Robyn commanded her. “An elf and a fairy are no match for me.” Casen chuckled. I stopped pushing my flame at him. His top was completely burned off and falling to the floor in ashes as were the mere pieces left. I want to cry.

“Hold her now, Lyrai,” Robyn commanded. Lyrai grasped my arm tightly. “Lyrai, feed your light magic into Tana. Tana, connect to your light magic. When I tell you, send your flame to Casen again. I will expel the hold the dark witch has on his mind. Don’t stop just trust me.”

I could feel Lyrai sending energy into my body. “I don’t know how to tap into my magic.” “Let Lyrai’s magic guide you to release it.” “Okay.” I took a deep breath. “Now!” I shot my flame back at Casen. It didn’t seem any different. I felt Lyrai’s magic pulsing in my flame and something else. I wasn’t sure what it was, but I was certain it was Robyn. I closed my eyes and let their magic flow through my flame.

I felt something give and let loose in myself. I was fueled and a calm rested over me. Casen began to scream, then with Elle’s voice still, “NO! IMPOSSIBLE!” I opened my eyes and my flame had turned bright white. It surrounded Casen and this time it wasn’t burning him. He was still in agony though. He was grasping at his head.

I was getting tired. It was taking a lot to fuel this white flame. Casen suddenly stopped screaming and stood before me smiling the smile of the man I love. “She’s gone. We can stop.” Robyn said. I stopped and my legs collapsed out from under me. I couldn’t stand anymore.

~~~

I moaned softly. I couldn’t move my body though. It was like I was being held in a vice grip of soft material. I didn’t smell Casen, it was a different smell surrounding me. My brain is foggy and I’m trying to clear it. “Don’t squirm. Let me warm you.” I heard Drew’s voice.

“Wha?” I tried to get out, but my mouth is very dry. “You used too much energy. You were freezing. I have the warmest body heat. Casen fueled your mark, but he’s spent. I offered to warm you.” Drew explained. I cracked my eyes opened. My everything feels drained and hurts. I noticed Drew was shirtless. I wanted to protest, but I didn’t have the energy.

“I can call my flame.” I didn’t really know if I had the energy to do so. “No, just let me warm you.” “Where is everyone?” “Handling the situation at hand. How are you feeling?” “I’m starving.” I admitted. My stomach growled for emphasis. “Food is being prepared for you. You’re going to have to tell Casen when he’s rested.” “Tell him what?” I’m confused.

“That he is going to be a father.” “What?!” “I can smell the change in you. It changed from the ball to now.” “Does anyone else know?” “I told Robyn. She is keeping it silent. I had to tell her because she couldn’t heal you much. Although everyone will pick up on it soon. You are going to crave meat.” I was going to protest, but the thought of eating meat had my dry mouth salivating.

Drew held me on our bed for a while talking to me in mind link because I did still need a drink, but we didn’t want to disturb anyone, and he refused to let me go until I stopped shaking and trembling from being cold. He filled me in on what happened after Casen, and I left the ball.

Corbin was chastised by the other dragon kings for trying to control their queen. Oisin and Alexander made the loudest complaints. Corbin threatened to throw them out of his kingdom with the threat of war. They laughed at him and told him they had pledged to protect their queen. Wherever their queen was, they would be too, no matter who’s kingdom it was.

I guess there is a lot of heavy debate happening between all the dragon kingdoms and Castien, Kalina, and Robyn all stood for my protection. Drew stood for me too, along with other werewolf kings he had been speaking with. Corbin and Callum were swamped with everyone. I hope they teach them a lesson after all they've done to me and to Casen.

I theorized with Drew that Casen’s dragon got my dragon pregnant when we had flown off. We weren’t sure how quickly a dragon could be impregnated, but we guessed fairly quickly since we had s*x in dragon form. I was still confused as to why I didn’t get pregnant the night he marked us. Drew believes I probably wasn’t ovulating that night.

I held back the information about my father. I want to tell everyone at once when they ask me what happened. I am certain Robyn may know though. When I warmed enough, Drew carried me to the dining room still wrapped in our blanket. He placed me in a chair. Everyone was smiling and I returned their smiles.

Casen came into the dining room and my heart leaped with joy. He rushed to my side. He picked me up and sat resting me in his lap. He held me close. “I’m so sorry Baby. I was trying to fight her. I couldn’t talk to you with my voice, but I let my dragon do it. She couldn’t control him.”

A tear fell. “I’m sorry I didn’t mean to burn you.” I rasped my apology. “Here, let me get you some water.” He reached for my glass and the pitcher of water close by. He poured me water and I noticed we were alone in the dining room. I wriggled my hand out of the blanket cocoon. I took a small sip of the water when he handed it to me.

I let the water rehydrate my throat and mouth. I finished the glass, and he took it. I looked into his eyes. “I have something to tell you.” “What?” I tried to control the trembling of nerves I felt. He rubbed my body trying to warm me up. “Casen, I um… Drew told me that…” I took a deep breath. I ripped the band aid off. “Your dragon got my dragon pregnant tonight.” I blurted. I felt my face heat with a flush.

He stared at me for a few seconds. I started to get more nervous before he crashed his lips into mine. I melted into his kiss and hold. He broke the kiss and caressed my face. “I love you.” He said. “I love you.” I replied. I heard a noise and realized everyone had returned. He looked out into the room. “I’m going to be a father,” he exclaimed to everyone. Cheers erupted throughout everyone. He kissed me again and I felt loved and content until my stomach growled and everyone including me chuckled because it was so loud.